Membership

YOUR BASKET IS EMPTY

Your wish list is empty

Colombia

Cycling’s most exciting destination.

Colombia is a magical place to ride your bike. Its location and topography are unique: you could be chilled to the bone while riding at 3,500m, or feel the heat of the tarmac melting your tyres, all within a couple of hours. It makes for a special, and memorable, riding experience. This is a country that breathes cycling, and the long mountain passes have forged some of the climbing greats – join us to ride in their shadows.

Upcoming Trips

Geography

A land of extremes.

The ‘cordillera’ mountain ranges cross down through the middle of Colombia, featuring snow-covered volcanoes and road passes that would inspire fear and awe in even the hardiest of riders. Tropical beaches spread along the north and west, while the deserts fill in the north and vast grasslands, called Los Llanos, lie in the east. In short, a land of extremes.

Food and drink

Delicious variety from the seas to the mountains.

From hearty Andean stews and Caribbean seafood to the fruits of the Amazon jungle, you’re bound to find something interesting and delicious to eat and drink in Colombia. For cyclists, panela is a sugar-based natural isotonic drink that has been fuelling ‘los escarabajos’ for years. You can’t visit Colombia without trying it.

History and Culture

A rich blend of cultures and ethnicities.

Colombia’s history has been a rocky one, marked by the appropriation of indigenous land and slavery from when the Spanish ‘conquistadores’ arrived, and political instability, civil war and drug-related violence in recent years. Despite this, the culture is a rich blend of Spanish traditions, tribal customs and Afro-Caribbean heritage that leaves a lasting impact on all who visit.

Cycling history

The rise and fall (and rise again) of ‘los escarabajos’.

Despite cycling having been a popular tradition for most of the 20th century, Colombian racers didn’t make an impact on the world scene until the 1980s, when the likes of Lucho Herrera and Fabio Parra put the best European climbers to the sword. Following a barren generation or two, ‘los escarabajos’ have now risen again, with Nairo Quintana, Esteban Chaves and Sergio Henao just a few of the world class riders currently lighting up the WorldTour.